George Carey: 1942 - 2010

30 November 2013by Maryanne Webber

Since 2005 Mr. Carey has been represented by the Bruce Webber Gallery in Lake Worth, Florida. Bruce Webber Gallery is now exclusively representing the few paintings remaining in the estate of the artist.

Before his death Mr. Carey had been working on a series of portraits depicting native, American Indians and frontiersman. Two of which are part of the collection of paintings being offered at the Bruce Webber Gallery; “Seminole War Chief Billy Bow Legs” and another painting entitled “Seminole Warrior”. Other paintings offered in this exclusive collection are of Key West and tropical themes.

A fourth generation Key West native, George Carey acquired an international following for his highly detailed acrylic depictions of the South Florida of his youth. In a style that the artist himself referred to as "representational" he captured the beauty, serenity, emotion and charm of the lower Keys in a bygone era - a time before T-shirt shops, fast food restaurants and tourist crowded streets - a time when true salt water Conchs called this small island home.

Carey's career began with drawing and sketching in the margins of his schoolwork as an elementary school student. Recognizing his love of art and his potential talent, his mother sent him to study with renowned artist Gerald Leake (a favorite of President Harry Truman) who conducted classes at the Ernest Hemingway house. With Mr. Leake's basics firmly in hand, a wealth of natural talent, keen powers of observation and a discerning eye for detail Carey embarked full-time on an art career in 1985. Since that time, he was represented by a number of well recognized galleries throughout Florida and conducted numerous "one man shows" in and around his native Key West.

National and international recognition came when Carey was chosen five times as a finalist in the nationally prestigious "Arts for the Parks" competition garnering four "Top 100" awards and one "Top Mini 50" award and was thrice recognized by the "Mystic Maritime Invitational Marine Art Exhibition" in Mystic, Connecticut.